Improvement in reversible knob-latches



.reversible spring-bolt.

FRANK P. PFLEGHAR, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT.

Letters Patent No. 87,510, lated Ma/rch 2, 1869. i

v IMPROVEMENT N REVERSIBLE KNOB-LATCVHHS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent vand making part of the same.

To all tehom it ma/y conce/m 'Y Beit known that I, FRANK P. PFLEGHAR, of the city and county of New Haven, in the Stateof Gonnecticu't, have invented a new and useful Improvement tus, with one side ofthe case removed.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the horse-shoe, or the sliding frame, to which the latch, or spring-bolt, is attached, thespiral spring which works it, and the l Figures 3, 4, and 5, are plans of the case, in cross section. 4

Figure 6 is a perspective View of the 'reversible latch, when detached from the horse-shoe slide;

My invention consists in making the`spiral spring, which carries the horse-shoe, slide forward, to force the latch, or spring, out, to fasten the door, with' two rods, or wgres,- passing through it, each hooked at one end, and the forward end of one secured to the case, and the rear end of the other' secured to`the rear end of one part of the horse-shoe, so that, when the` horse-shoe and bolt are forced back by the knob and spindle, to open the door, the two hooks will cause a.I contraction or condensation of the spring, so that it willexpand, when released, and throw the horseshoe, and consequently the latch, forward. L I make thehcase of heavy sheet-iron, or any other suitable material, substantially in 'the formindicated by the longitudinal .half shown` at A, figs. 1 and 2 which will',appear, in its cross-section, like iig. 3, or I may shape it so that its cross-section will appear as represented in figs. 4 or 5, andso that it may be about three times as broad as it isthick; and I' make the holes in the two sides ofthe case (in which the socket, or follower n, of the spindle, Works,) by punching it in such a manner as to raise and form a substantial collar entirely around it, on'theinner side, as represented at m, fig'. 1, and indicated at m, fig. 2, which -will very materially strengthen the case, especially when made of thin metal, and will cause the s'ocketn with the spindle, to work more steadily.

1 I make the lock-bolt, or that which ismoved by the key, in the usual form, as represented at B, iig. 1, with one or more tumblers, as represented at G, g. 1,

so as to be secured in either the locked or unlocked position, by a suitable stud, iitting the notches in the tumblers, as represented atV D, rigs. l and2;' andi have the bolt slide through the plate E, directly iu contact withl the latch, or` spring-bolt F, figs. 1, 2,

4and 6.A

Imake the spring-bolt, or latch F, of cast brass, or any-othersuitable material, substantially in the form showy in iigr 6, and indicated at E, in figs. 1.and

2, and I make it -suitable to be reversed, so that the lock and latch may be used for either a right or a left hand door, as its form clearly demonstrates.

I make theslide, or horse-shoe, of cast brass, or any other suitable material, substantially in the form shown at G Gigs. yl and 2, with the usual projections, or calks, as a a, against which the horns b b are pressed, by turning the knob and spindle to force the latch back, to open the door; and, onits front end, I form a hok,

as shown at c, iig. 2,4 and indicated at c, iig. 1, wherein l the rear or inner endv of the reversible latch Fis to be secured, either side foremost, for use.

To secure this reversible latch F in the hook c, I t a spring-slide, or binder, H, fig. 1, which I make by doubling a suitable piece of sheet-metal, and bending its edges, so as tov form a V-shaped groove on4 each1 side, as shown at e, fig. 1, to fit the edges of the case` when cut away, as represented at f, g. 2, so that it may slide forward to vthe position shown at H, in g.

1, to firmly secure lthe reversible latch F in its proper position for use; or it may be slippedrback to the position shown in dotted lines at H, iig. 2, to releasethe.'

rear end of the latch F, as indicated in fig. 2, when'I desire to reverse it, which may thus be done at any ftime, without opening the case.

Iinake the spiral spring L of brass, or any'other suitable wire, wound in the usual way, but I suspend it longitudinally, on two rods or wires, as shown in igs.' 1 and 2.

At one end of each of these rods I form a suitable hook, as represented at g and it, Vwhich hooks around or over the outer or end coil ofthe wire, while the other end of one of the rods, as that opposite g, hooks into one of the projections or calks of the horse-shoe, as indicated at t', figs. 1 and 2, /a'nd the other, that oppositeh, I secure in a hole in the case, as shown at Z, all as represented in'gs. 1 and 2, so that when the horse-shoe G G is drawn back, by revolving the knob and spindle, to unlatch the door, the two rods, by means ot theirhooks g and hwill contract the vspiral spring, and when released, the reaction of the spring will draw the rods, by means of their hooks'g and h, so as to lap along each other, as before, thus rendering thespring much more effective and durable than it could be without the rods. Should the spring break in several places, it would but slightly weaken it. Having made the several parts, and arranged them as before described and represented in iig. 1, I put in the socket, or follower n, with its horns b b, g. 2, and then put on the other half of the case, and secure it with a proper screw, when the Whole will be ready for use but ii' I nd the bevelled side d ofthe latch v'F is placed the wrong way toA suit the door, I move the spring-slide H from the position shown in iig. l to that indicated by dotted lines at H, iig. 2, when I can withdraw the latch F, turn it over, and reinsert it, all of which operation is indicated in g. 2. I then move the spring-slide H to the position shown in iig. 1, when the Whole will be ready to be inserted into the mortise in the stile ofthe door.

This change can be made in a very few seconds, and yet the lat-ch will be'perfectly and rmly secured by the slide H, when in the notch c, iig. 2.

I am aware that a reversible latch is not new, and that a cylndriealcase was patented by William A. Ives, in 1856, and that cases, with curved edges, are not new. I, therefore, do not claim either of these, as such, as my invention;.but

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

The combination of the spiral spring L and its rods g i and h l, with the horse-shoe and slide GG, when constructed and fitted for use, substantially as herein described. Y

F. P. PFLEGHAR.

Witnesses:

RICHARD F. LYON, R. FITZGERALD. 

